Rekindling memories of the great sea voyages of Morobe

The kasali beaches at Malalo with Salamaua Point in the background

Sailing the kasali into Salamaua

Laukanu villagers with their kasali at picturesque Malolo in Salamaua, Morobe province

Laukanu villagers land their kasali at Malalo in Salamaua, Morobe province

In October 2007, the people from my mother’s beautiful Laukanu village in Salamaua, Morobe province, rekindled memories of yore when they launched a kasali (ocean going canoe).
For many people, especially the young ones, it was a rare opportunity to see a traditional canoe used by these seafarers of the Huon Gulf, as they may never again be able to do so again.
The people of Laukanu were among the greatest mariners of the Huon Gulf, making long ocean trips throughout the Huon Gulf to exchange goods, long before the arrival of the white man.
Researchers know that around the Huon Gulf, a complex and extensive trading system – dependent on canoe voyages – had existed long before contact with Europeans, and the Laukanu people, using the kasali, were among the best.
When the first Lutheran missionaries arrived in Finschhafen in the late 1880s, the Laukanu made the long sea voyage to Finschhafen, and helped to bring the Miti (Word of God) to the villages south of Lae.
The launch of the kasali celebrated not only the great seamanship of the Laukanu, but more importantly, coincided with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Malolo Mission Station - overlooking idyllic and historic Salamaua – on October 12, 1907.
The people of Salamaua and surrounding villages, who make up the Malalo Circuit, converged on Malalo for that momentous occasion.
It was a time for all to celebrate the important role the church had played in their lives, as well as remember the many expatriate missionaries and local evangelists, who worked through the dark days of World War 1 and World War 11 to bring the Miti (Word of God) to the people.
These legendary missionaries include Reverend Karl Mailainder and Rev Herman Boettger (who started actual work on the Malalo station), Rev Hans Raun, Rev Friedrich Bayer, Rev Mathias Lechner, and Rev Karl Holzknecht.
Apart from the centenary celebrations, it was also a time for the Laukanu people to showcase their ocean-going and canoe-building skills, which have now been safely passed on to the next generation.

Our cucumbers are growing again!

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a real life experience about 'tis little things that can hurt a lot.
It goes something like this: "I’m just a simple, working-class Papua New Guinean, struggling to make ends meet as well as get over the death of my wife last year.
"I live with my four young children in a one-bedroom unit at Gerehu, a suburb of Port Moresby.
"We have this tiny little backyard stretch which we use to grow vegetables.
"Some weeks ago, I bought cucumber and tomato seeds, which I sowed.
"It became a daily ritual for my four young children to get up early in the morning and water and weed their vegetable patch.
"The cucumbers grew up and started flowering, and every day, the little ones would tell me of how much they were looking forward to eating their cucumbers.
"Last Friday, after work, I went home and wondered why they were looking so sad and sullen.
“Dad,” they chorused, 'those big boys next door have pulled out our cucumbers'.
"It broke my heart!
"Tis little things like this that can hurt a lot."

PS: I'm happy to report that we have dug out a new vegetable patch, complete with cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, and other vegetables, and after the recent downpour over the long weekend, they're growing very well. Picture above are my daughter Moasing pointing out the garden, a close-up, and that's me with the big beard (which I really have to get rid of, as it makes me look so much older).

 

Montevideo Maru tragedy remembered 67 years on

The ill-fated Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

Artist's impression of the Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

USS Sturgeon, the US sumbmarine which torpedoed the Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

Members of the Rabaul-based Lark Force, many of whom perished on the Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

Australia’s worst maritime tragedy, which intimately involves Papua New Guinea, is the sinking of the Montevideo Maru off the Philippines coast on July 1, 1942.
Japanese hospital ship Montevideo Maru was carrying 845 troops from Australia’s Lark force and 208 civilians – 1,053 men – taken prisoner of war after Japan invaded the beautiful town of Rabaul, East New Britain province, in Jan 1942.
These civilians included men who may have helped build pre-war Rabaul, capital of then New Guinea until the volcanic eruption of 1937, and included administration workers and missionaries.
There were even members of an Australian Salvation Army band.
The unmarked Japanese ship left occupied Rabaul on June 22, 1942, but nine days later on July 1, American submarine USS Sturgeon torpedoed it off Luzon in the Philippines.
The saddest thing is that the wreck has never been found to this day, and both Australia and PNG do not know the names of those killed, as the official nominal (katakana) roll – which might give a clue to the identities of those on board – has not been located
Now, 67 years later, Australian families who lost loved ones in Australia’s worst maritime tragedy, want the shipwreck to be found and made a war grave by the federal government.
Relatives of men onboard the ill-fated ship have set up the Montevideo Maru Memorial Committee to mark the tragedy they say has been overlooked by officials.
Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Kim Beazley has accepted the role of patron of the committee.
A plaque to commemorate the sinking of the Montevideo Maru will be unveiled at Subic Bay in the Phillipines on Wednesday, July 1.
A powerful new documentary film, ‘The Tragedy of the Montevideo Maru’, produced by Australian filmmaker John Schindler, is due to be released in November and promises to shed more light on this calamity of Australian and PNG WW11 history.
Committee member and former PNG kiap Keith Jackson provided documents and pictures of the Montevideo Maru tragedy as the anniversary of its leaving Rabaul and tragic sinking near.
After the Japanese invasion of Rabaul in Jan 1942, an early decision was by the Australian government to evacuate women and children from Rabaul and the islands, but to leave behind the male (and Chinese and mixed-race civilians), and a small garrison of Australian troops, known as Lark Force.
"Lark Force was the bastion against the Japanese advance,” Mr Jackson says.
“The bulk of these troops comprised the 2/22nd Battalion of the Australian Army.
“Amongst their number was the Brunswick Salvation Army band from Melbourne.
“In January 1942, Rabaul was overwhelmed by a far superior Japanese force.
“Disaster ensued.
“Precious few of the troops and but one bandsman, Fred Kollmorgen, escaped alive.
“The Japanese executed many more.
“Of the many men taken prisoner – 1,053 troops, civilians and the bulk of the Brunswick Band – died when the Montevideo Maru was torpedoed off the Philippines on July 1, 1942.”
Jackson stressed in no uncertain terms that the tragedy of the Montevideo Maru must never be allowed to fade away.
“Firstly, there are the victims’ relatives and their thirst for knowledge and need for closure,” he said.
“Because there remain so many questions about the tragedy, it is impossible for these people to assure themselves that the full story has been told.
“In the dishonouring of the rights of the relatives to official recognition of this tragedy, there is an implicit dishonouring of the memories of the 1,053 men who died.
“Second, there is much that is unknown about political decisions made in Canberra in January 1942 that left just 1,400 Lark Force troops to defend Rabaul against a strong Japanese invading force supported by overwhelming air and naval power.
“Third, there was the discreditable official silence, for the entire duration of the war, surrounding the fate of the 1,053 (it is thought) troops and civilians loaded on to the Montevideo Maru.
“And then there was the unsolved puzzle of who exactly was on board the vessel.
“There was a roll kept by the Japanese that apparently fell into Australian hands after the war.
“It went missing.
“Fourth, there has been the unfathomable official reluctance to give due recognition to the Montevideo Maru tragedy, which is at least as significant as the sinking of the light cruiser Sydney (645 deaths) and the hospital ship Centaur (268 deaths).
“Fifth, there are stories that Australians should know about our history.
“This is surely one of them.
“These are the reasons why this matter must be pursued.”
Keith Jackson can be contacted on email benelong@bigpond.net.au or visit his PNG Attitude blog http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/.

Pacific Storms Opening

Pacific Storms, a contemporary art exhibition of significant Pacific island issues curated by Joycelin Leahy opened to a record crowd of 425 people at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery last Wednesday night.

It was opened by the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Affairs, Mr Duncan Kerr. The turn out included audiences from around Australia, Pacific islanders, residents of Bundaberg Region and 27 of 33 artists who exhibited in the show.

In his speech, Mr Kerr said the artworks challenges the traditional perceptions of Pacific Cultures and their arts. He called Pacific Storms a “superb example of contemporary Pacific Island Culture”.

“I am sure that those who visit the exhibition will be surprised and perhaps startled by what they see. The works on display present a contemporary perspective of Pacific societies and cultures. It is a perspective that many Australians, including those in the art world, may not be prepared for,” Mr Kerr said.

He also said the exhibition brings an important understanding of Australia to its closest neighbors and the fact that Pacific islands’ concerns and their worlds are not so different to Australia’s.

Australia has committed $150 Million over three years under the Climate Change Adaptation Initiative to help meet high priority adaptation needs of vulnerable countries in the region which focuses on Pacific Islands and East Timor.

Responding to other major social issues highlighted in Pacific Storms, Mr Kerr said development assistance alone cannot improve long-term economic outlook or Pacific Islands, therefore Australia has placed a greater priority on trade and economic cooperation with its Pacific partners.

Since its opening, there have been a number of public programmes organised by curating partner, Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery. These included leis making and weaving which drew another crowd of 378 people on Saturday at the gallery. During the week, PNG artists, Daniel Waswas and Peter Leo Ella engaged with Bundaberg School children to discuss their style of artwork and talk about Pacific people and the culture.

Pacific Storms will remain on show at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery until July 12.

 

 

 

Airlines PNG commences regular commercial flights to Bulolo

The historical mining town of Bulolo, Morobe province, took another giant step forward last Friday with the commencement of a regular passenger transport (RPT) by Airlines PNG.

Media personnel as well as the first batch of passengers were on board the Dash 8 flight to Bulolo last Friday morning, which was greeted by management and staff of PNG Forest Products, which owns the land on which the Bulolo Airport is built.

Captain Ross Fieldus and his first officer Russell Yappa made it look like just another ‘milk run’ with the flight taking just 40 minutes.

The Bulolo service, which will be every Monday and Friday, promises to greatly boost business and tourism in Bulolo, as well as the surrounding electorates of Menyamya, Huon, Markham and Lae.

Airlines PNG systems and distributions manager, Tremaine Flynn, said the decision to commence an RPT to Bulolo stemmed from its charter business.

“A year ago,” he said at a small reception at the Bulolo airport terminal, “we commenced a contract with Morobe Mining Joint Venture to move their personnel in and out of Bulolo with three flights a week.

“This has progressed into a daily service.

“We believe that many stakeholders are also recognizing the development and growth in this region of Morobe as more and more of them set up either direct or indirect services here.

“The introduction for this new RPT service not only represents confidence in the community and business sectors but it also sets the stage for new opportunities for business to begin.

“The flow-on effect of improved services and industry to the region will mean that the people in the community will directly benefit and we now encourage the community to take full advantage of this new service.

“Therefore, we believe that our decision to introduce the RPT service between Bulolo and Port Moresby is timely and will be supported by the community and business industry throughout the Wau/Bulolo area.”

Mr Flynn commended Bulolo MP Sam Basil, MMJV, and PNGFP for their support in making the service possible.

PNGFP deputy general manager Marinus Valks said: “PNG Forest Products is very pleased to see the return of a regular passenger service out of Bulolo again.

“We’re sure that the community is going to support this new service.

“It’s also a great opportunity for Airlines PNG, since the commencement of regular charter services last year.”

 

You needed to know this!!...

AT 5 MINUTES AND 6 SECONDS AFTER 4 A.M., ON THE 7th OF August, THIS YEAR,
THE TIME AND DATE WILL BE: 04:05:06 07-08-09
THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL THE YEAR 3009!!!

Don't you feel better for knowing that?

"Unlearn and relearn," say industry experts to small and medium enterprises

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 5 June 2009 – “If you build it, they will come,” say guests of the APEC SME Technology Entrepreneur Seminar. 

 

The economic landscape has incurred some dramatic changes: budget cuts, climate change, social and demographic shifts pose a new set of challenges.  However, say industry experts, for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are able to adapt, such changes offer a wealth of opportunities:

 

• Perhaps counter-intuitively, established players insist that now is the time to spend money on research and development.  According to Choo Hua Wee, Director of Corporate Affairs, Microsoft will invest 9 billion in research and development in 2009 – a billion more than the previous year.

 

• Open innovation is key to advances in technology.  Gone are the days when companies angled to attract the best and the brightest and used patents and copyrights to keep everyone else away, explains Robert Kramer, Vice President of Public Policy at Comp TIA: “Intellectual Property Right isn’t just a means of protection; it’s a bargaining chip.”  External research is as important as internal research and ideas are regularly bought and sold. 

 

• Challenges associated with demographic shift and climate change will demand solutions.  BYD, the Chinese Hybrid/Electric Car Company in which Warren Buffet invested last year, will launch the Pure EV-e6 “rechargeable car” in China by the end of 2009. 

 

• Outsourcing auxiliary tasks allows companies to concentrate on their core business.

 

• The convenience of technology allows small businesses to operate with very little overhead.  Explains Ryan Brock of AMI Partners, “like everyone, SMEs have had to do more with less.”  Technology makes business more efficient and frees up time for maintaining good client relationships.

 

• Technology offers an alternative means of export – a largely untapped arena for SMEs.  Steven Liew, Director of Government Relations, eBay Asia Pacific points out: “1.3 million sellers use eBay as their primary or secondary source of income; and of these sellers, 530,000 operate standalone stores on eBay.”

 

The seminar, which drew members of the SME community as well as large corporate representatives from organizations including Microsoft, Dell, PayPal/eBay, and BYD, has issued a set of recommendations to the APEC SME Working Group.  The Working Group is responsible to APEC’s senior officials, whose work is instrumental in shaping public policy throughout the APEC region.

 

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Williams at cdw@apec.org or at (65) 9617 7316

Anita Douglas at ad@apec.org or at (65) 9172 6427